October is the month that we observe domestic violence and breast cancer awareness. Both of these entities tend to bring on fear, anger, despair, pain, both physical and emotional, desperation, bitterness, and the list goes on. However, the responses to going through both of these debilitating situations sometimes are, “Lord, why me? Why are You making me suffer? What did I do so wrong to deserve this, Lord?” Yes, you are calling on whom you should call in times like these. However, domestic violence and breast cancer are not of God. “[The Lord] sometimes allows things that are undeserved—disease and disabilities—to display His marvelous work. An example of this is the healing of the man blind from birth (John 9:1-3). Jesus said the man’s blindness was to show the works of God through his healing” (Google.com)
Then what is domestic violence? According to the United States Department of Justice, domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, or technological actions or threats of actions or other patterns of coercive behavior that influence another person within an intimate partner relationship. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. Therefore, God is not to blame when such happens because He is a God of love, not hate or violence. Here is what God says about domestic violence in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV): “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” If you are in a domestic violence situation, take close heed of verse five. Then what is breast cancer? “It is a disease in which cells in the breast grow out of control. It can spread outside the breast through blood vessels and lymph vessels. When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is said to have metastasized” (CDC.gov). Ponder these verses to help you understand that breast cancer or any other illness or disease is not of God. “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27, ESV). “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22, ESV). “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases” Psalm 103:2-3, ESV).
Although domestic violence and breast cancer are dreaded evils of society, not everyone is plagued with them. No matter how difficult these evils, there is hope. You may be bowed down, but not beaten. Why? Because God loves his children, and He doesn’t want us to suffer. Believe in Him, and trust the process. Always abound in the faith, and never leave home without Him!
